By GPC Sports Correspondent
Kenya’s Hit Squad emerged the overall team champions at the 2026 African Boxing Championships after an impressive medal haul at the Kasarani Indoor Arena in Nairobi.
The hosts finished top of the standings with 15 medals, comprising five gold, three silver and seven bronze, narrowly edging Algeria, which also won five gold medals but collected three silver and three bronze.
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Uganda finished third with 11 medals, including four gold, one silver and six bronze.
Kenya’s triumph was highlighted by impressive performances in the women’s and men’s finals, with Grace Atieno setting the pace by defeating Tanzania’s Mapunda Veronica in the women’s 48kg final to claim the country’s first gold medal of the day.
Rosemarion Otieno followed with a commanding display in the women’s lightweight (57-60kg) final, knocking down Algeria’s decorated boxer Ichrak Chaib to secure another gold for Kenya.
The women’s team added a third gold through Juliet Opondo, who dominated Tanzania’s Rachel Msengi in the heavyweight (80kg) final.
Veronica Mbithe completed Kenya’s women’s medal contribution with silver in the flyweight final after a spirited contest against Algeria’s experienced Fatiha Mansouri.
Despite missing out on gold, Mbithe said she was determined to learn from the defeat and return stronger.
“I’m not happy with the silver because I wanted gold, but I take it anyway. My opponent played my game better as she switched stances swiftly,” she said.
“I now go back to work as I have seen areas I need to improve.”
In the men’s competition, Kelvin Maina delivered another memorable performance in his final against an opponent from Angola.
Maina produced a tactical masterclass, combining composure, sharpness and dominance from the opening round to outclass his opponent and claim gold, establishing himself as one of the breakout performers of the championships.
Kenya tops final medal standings
The final standings placed Kenya ahead of Algeria and Uganda in a competition that attracted 15 nations and featured more than 90 bouts between October 15 and 22.
Kenya and Algeria tied on five gold medals, but the hosts secured the overall title through their superior silver medal count and larger total medal haul.
The final top three standings were:
- Kenya: 15 medals (5 gold, 3 silver, 7 bronze).
- Algeria: 11 medals (5 gold, 3 silver, 3 bronze).
- Uganda: 11 medals (4 gold, 1 silver, 6 bronze).
The Boxing Federation of Kenya thanked the Ministry of Sports, the National Government, fans who turned up at Kasarani throughout the competition, coaches, officials and participating boxers for their contribution to the successful championships.
The Nairobi 2026 competition provided a platform for some of the continent’s leading boxers to showcase their talent, with Kenya using home advantage to secure the overall team crown.
